The number of types of electronic devices that are commercially available has increased tremendously the past few years and the rate of introduction of new devices shows no signs of abating. Devices, such as tablet, laptop, netbook, desktop, and all-in-one computers, cell, smart, and media phones, wearable computing devices, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, and others, have become ubiquitous.
The functionality of these devices has likewise greatly increased. This in turn has led to increased complexity inside of these electronic devices. At the same time, the dimensions of these devices have become smaller. For example, smaller and thinner devices are becoming more popular.
This increasing functionality and decreasing size have necessitated the use of space-efficient circuit techniques. As one example, system-in-a-package modules and other similar structures may be used to increase an electronic device's functionality while reducing space consumed in the device.
These system-in-a-package modules may be sealed and encapsulated in a plastic or other material. But there may be spacing limitations on how close an encapsulation may be to an edge of a printed circuit board. There may also be limitations on how close a device can be to an edge of the encapsulation. For these reasons, the encapsulation may consume a large amount of space on a printed circuit board. Also, the encapsulation may have a significant height in order to ensure coverage is provided for the various devices in the module.
Conventional encapsulation may require several manufacturing steps. Also, several of these steps may require high temperatures that may reduce reliability and yield.
Thus, what is needed are readily manufactured structures for sealing or encapsulating devices in system-in-a-package modules, such that the modules are easily assembled, have a low-profile, and are space efficient.